Do you ever disclose just to spread awareness?

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I don't disclose my diagnosis because I think it will give people the wrong idea about me and autism. I sometimes hear about people who disclose their diagnosis just to spread awareness.

Hey Devil Kisses: I hope you go to college or Uni soon.

That's a bit off topic

When I was initialy diagnosed I was excited about my learning why I was different and I shared with my coworkers that I had Aspergers because I thought it would demonstrate that someone that had Aspergers was just an average person. BIG MISTAKE. Now anything I do is attributed to my having Aspergers. It did not increase their awareness or acceptance of someone with HFA; it just gave them validation as to why they discriminate .

This. I used to want to help spread awareness, make the media-stoked lies go away, be the change I wanted to see in the world, all that good s**t.

Now?? No. I tried, I failed, it almost cost me my kids and my freedom and my life. The only reasons I disclose any more are if it's pertinent medical information or if I run into someone whose kid is showing clinically significant signs or already has a diagnosis. Then I figure they might listen, might see that I grew up without help and still managed to live, might take a little step back and realize that having it isn't a death sentence for their kid.

I don't disclose after the first few times of hearing 'oh but you're so smart' or 'you can speak' or 'you can look me in the eye for five seconds' or ' you dont remind me of my nephew'. I should HOPE i don't remind you of a five year old child! I'm almost 40 years old!

Not having the money for the 'official' dx hurts as well. People are fast to say 'you're not like what I think, therefore you're wrong'. I've been accused of attention-seeking and being nasty and evil. These aren't true, and I know this, but it still hurts.

I don't care much if I tell strangers. They are usually the ones who need to meet us for the right reasons. I help do that for them. For others, I figure that there are those of us with ASDs in their lives that will do what I can't or choose not to do.

I don't disclose unless I could benefit from the disclosure. There's too much prejudice against people with neurological differences. There's also various types of ignorance.

Yes, Devil Kisses, I was indeed off-topic--but I'm not sure if you wanted me to PM you.

I feel bad that you're an intelligent person who could benefit from a college/university education--yet are not pursuing it yet.

Family knows,, people in vocational rehab know, and by definition my support groups know but outside of that, the topic has never come up in conversation. If somebody would ask me directly if I know anything about autism I would find it find it hard to lie..

Ironic your scared to give the wrong idea, so you give no idea at all.

But yeah it's tricky.

I told some folk on an online message board.

And basically they started condescending to me, like I'm in and out of a pysch ward on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile these same people talk about druguse, and depression(being on anti depressants), like it's somehow normal behavior.

What's wrong with not giving people any idea? I don't want to be known as the "autistic girl", I don't want people to compare me to people who share my label and I don't want people to compare me to people who share my label. The simplest solution is to not tell people I have that label. I don't even think I'm autistic, but I don't want to explain to people why I don't think I'm autistic. Even if I am autistic, autism is not my main issue. I have an unknown learning disability and chronic fatigue issues that people refuse to acknowledge. They just blame it all on autism or depression!

I should disclose to spread awareness, but in practice it makes life more difficult for me, so I don't disclose most of the time.

I told someone anonymously on the Internet as part of a debate. He promptly started calling me "sociopathic" and "mentally ill" and dismissed everything I said on those grounds.
My parents and therapist know. My teachers are told each year so they can work with me better. My little sister doesn't know. My stepbrother doesn't know because he wouldn't care. I've decided that if I'm ever asked, I'll tell the truth, but I won't bring it up.

I disclose having Asperger's for both helping to be understood better and to spread awareness.

I disclose and attempt to educate. Without exception, I am always told " I didn;t know that about autism". Unfortunately, I have lost some long-term friends because of disclosure. I am not speaking for anyone else, but for ME I feel it is a responsibility to disclose, educate, and do whatever I can to be a positive for my Autistic "family."

I sometimes disclose to spread awareness. If there's a situation when mentioning that I'm autistic is not entirely necessary but not off-topic either, I'll usually choose to mention it. I'm not sure what it means that no one has ever reacted with shock/surprise.

As for disclosing for the purpose of support/understanding, I really don't have a choice. I've got a fairly severe case and need a lot of accommodations.